Our family loves nuts and we love dried fruits. So when the opportunity arose to review Bella Viva Orchards Gourmet Fruits & Nuts, I saw the opportunity to try something we don’t normally buy – gourmet fruits and nuts. I was sent a 3lb gift package, which is what you see below, and what a difference from the ones you buy at the grocery store.

When my package arrived and I opened the box I found two trays exactly as they are displayed above. The trays consisted of single layers of fruits or nuts with styrofoam sheets beneath them, placed in the decorative tray, and wrapped with bows.

The first tray contained California grown Almonds and pistachios. This tray was opened right off as my daughter can’t keep her paws off of either type of nut. Personally, I was worried the nuts would be too salty for my liking. I was pleasantly surprised that they weren’t, and felt the brand lived up to their item description which reads, ‘lightly salted’ and that is exactly how I found them to be.

The second tray consisted of sun dried apricots, white nectarines, Moyer plums, peaches and pears. In taste-testing these, they were fresh to the touch and are not the average size you’d see at the grocery store. I would describe them as being at least the size of a silver dollar and quite meaty. They were fresh to the palette even a week later.

I can honestly say that the only issue I had was the trays not having a cover of some sort. It would’ve be nice to slide a cover over them so that the trays could’ve stayed on the table once opened.